The Hallock Cottage is at left, partially obscured by the tree, c. 1955. The Veteran's Club is at center right, and the Broadway Market at right. Courtesy of Denny Ford. Address: 197 Broadway
Old Address: 180 Broadway
Other names: Hallock Block, Tri-Lakes Federal Credit Union
Year built: before 1925
180 Broadway was an apartment house. Dr. J. H. Hallock had his home and office on the other side of McClelland Street at 182 Broadway.
In 1917, it was the home of Albert Latour.
In 1925, it was the home of Aligio Bagetti, Luigi Sorcinelli and Ford and Manning Gordon.
Samuel K. BrewsterThe 1948 Village Directory lists 14 residents, while the 1950 directory lists only Mary Macy.
In 1964 it was the home of Marshall Morehouse.
It was torn down by the village in 1964.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, February 11, 1952
CHIMNEY FIRE
A chimney fire at the Hallock block, 180 Broadway, alerted 19 firemen at 7:46 last night. They returned to the fire house at 8:20 p.m.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, March 24, 1958
Smoky Reprimanded At Broadway Fire
'Smoky', the fire house dalmation, received a severe dressing down and departmental reprimand for his conduct at a minor fire Saturday night.
Under the report it is listed a "Contributory Confusion" in time of emergency. Smoky, full of springtime friskiness, barked at several cats which were being evacuated from the Hallock Block at 180 Broadway.
The fire was caused from an overheated oil stove on the lower floor and an alarm turned in 9:16. The hook and ladder was the scene with 20 men reporting This is the second such fire in recent months at the four story frame building.
The fire was declared out at 9:36.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, June 24, 1959
Brewster Reports Code Violations
Fire Marshall Reports
The Board also instructed Fire Marshall John Brewster and building inspector Bernard Coombs to prepare a list of all violations of the village code found in the Sullivan-owned rooming house at 180 Broadway.
Brewster reported to the Board last night that conditions in the house were deplorable. He said there were no adequate fire escapes, no fire alarms, and no central heating; there were violations of the multiple residence law.
The owner should be made to "comply with the law", Trustee Anderson said. He reminded the Board of the Murphy block fire some years ago which took the lives of several.
The Board voted, with no one opposed, to have the building inspected and the owner, Michael Sullivan of Schenectady given notice of the violations. If these violations were not taken care of, Attorney Cantwell said then the village could close the building.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, February 18, 1960
Local Woman Found Dead In Burned Out Apartment
Evidently Asphyxiated by Fire That Did Not Burn Down Building
Mrs. Gertrude Skiff, 58, was discovered dead yesterday in her apartment at 180 Broadway in Saranac Lake, evidently asphyxiated by a fire which, almost miraculously, did not burn down the whole structure which is generally known in the community as the "Crow's Nest."
She was discovered by Oscar Morehouse who lives at the same address. Morehouse called the Saranac Lake police at 11:35 yesterday morning and reported that be had found Mrs. Skiff dead on the floor of her apartment. She was fully dressed and in her bedroom.
Police Chief William Wallace said it was assumed the fire had taken place late Tuesday afternoon because Mrs. Skiff's wrist watch was stopped at 5:50 and the alarm clock at 5.55.
The room had been razed by fire of such intensity that it melted the plastic on the alarm clock and also on the radio in the room. Mrs. Skiff had last been seen Tuesday morning.
The fire undoubtedly came from a portable kerosene heater which was in front of the door.
Chief Wallace sought to reconstruct how the accident might have happened, as follows:
He thought Mrs. Skiff must have gone into the bathroom, that on her return from the bathroom she must have knocked over the heater with the door. Wallace assumed that the blaze had broken out with great rapidity, that Mrs. Skiff had fallen, tried to get up and had been asphyxiated. Evidently she had had some breathing difficulty in the past.
The fire was never reported or discovered.
Wallace said that the fire had been so intense that it actually scorched the tops of the doors and even seeped through. He said that if one window had popped the whole building would have gone up like so much tinder. Only three apartments in the large building are occupied at the present time.
Fire Marshall John Brewster is looking into the situation and said this morning that there were violations of the multiple dwelling law. There was a fire protection alarm service, but it was not working. It is a completely frame house. There is no central heating. Wallace said that it was owned by Michael Sullivan of Albany. It appeared that Brewster had in the past sought to have the building condemned but that he could not find enough actual violations.
Mrs. Skiff was born on July 15, 1901 in Bangor. New York, the daughter of Phillip and Carrie Jock Finn. She had been living in Saranac Lake for about 18 years.
She had been separated from her husband, Percy Skiff of Vermontville.
There will be a private service on Saturday at the Fortune Funeral Home. Interment will be in the Pine Ridge Cemetery in May.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, December 22, 1964
[photo caption]
TIDY DEMOLITION — The ancient Hallock Block on Upper Broadway is being leveled to make room for an addition to the Parish Oil Co. service station. The building was purchased by H.C. Fuller of Parish, N.Y. through the offices of Thomas P. Ward in Saranac Lake. The most recent owner was Ruth Sullivan of Schenectady. The building contained over 60 rooms and has been a village landmark for over a half century. The four-story structure was considered a fire hazard and an eyesore by the village.
